Shoe construction



R. L. MARTEAU E1' Ax. suon" CONSTRUCTION Filed nec. 28, 1925 INVENTO RAL?" L. MRTERU nun Geom: A. ScHxaErsR amg ALA,

A'rroRNEY Patented Oct. 30,- 192,8.

UNITED STATT-:s PATE NT oFF-ICE- :aura I.. mman AND GEORGE A. scnRoErER, or amount, New Yoan.

SHOE CONSTRUCTION.

Application led December 28, '1925. Serial No. 78,034.A

pose of receiving an insert adjustable beneath v the anterior nietatarsal arch. It will be clear in` this connection that while the insert is freely -adjustablewithin the pocket, at the same time such adjustment is indeed limited and by no means allows for extreme cases nor is the insert self-adjustable to accommodate itself to the foot after a shoe has been broken With the foregoing in mind it is the purpose of the present invention to overcome the objectionable featuresjust described and we accomplish this purpose by means of the oonstruction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described'an'd set forth' the appended claims. Y

One embodiment/of the invention is illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in .which FigureA 1 is a top plan' view of the insole of a shoe embodying our invention; Figure 2 is a side view of the same showin the extensible shank portion in section; lFigure 3 is a`.sectional view of the 1nsert and anchoring piece therefor; FigureA is a plan view of the insert; Figure 5 is a top plan view of the anchoring piece; and Figure 6 1s a side elevational view of the same.

Referring tothe drawing and particularly to Figures land 2, 10 denotes the innersole of a shoe, to the under marginal surface of which is attached the'welt, or upper and sole not shown, and 11 is the heel section of a' shoey y shank. The heel section 11 is made of leather having its margin turned downwardlyabout the edge of the inner sole and betweeen. the latter and the welt, or upper and sole. The

heel section 11 extends to a point at the beginning of the archiand is attached to one end of a Strip of elastic material 12, theopposite end thereof being connected to a free flap section 13 composed of superimposed pieces of leather which are stitched together about theiredges but not attached to the insole 10. The two lajl'ers of -leather form a pocket which is accessible vthrough a transverse slit 14 cut in the under leather layer.

According to our prior invention an insertf of any desired form is arranged in the pocket so as to lend the necessary supportd to the bones comprising the metatarsal arch of thel foot, but it has been found desirable to increase the adj ustability of support so that when the shoe has been broken in the position of the insertinay be changed. 4 In the embodiment shown in Figures 3 to 6, we provide a metal anchoring plate 15 having its upper face at a central point adjacent one end provided with an u standing blunt p in 16; on its under face adjacent opposite sides, Vand on a transverse through the central point are disposed two pointed pins' 17, which when the plate 15 is arranged in the pocket are adapted to project downwardly penetratingthe under layer of leather and enga ing the inner sole 10.

When arranged 1n position in the shoe the pin 16 projects upwardly to receive an inline projecting sert 18 comprising a disc-shaped rubber member provided-with an opening 19 to accommodate the pin. The disc 18 is preferably convex curved on its upper'surface so as tolaccornmodate itselfto the arch and lend as much ease as possible tothe wearer. If greater thickness for the insert is required, due -to extreme conditions, a washer 2 0 ma be arranged on the pin 16 beneath the dis'c 18,y as villustrated in Figure 3. Y

Our ladjustable shankl operates as follows: rl` he plate 15 and disc 18 are inserted through the slit 14. into the full weight is brought to bear upon the foot by walking, which enables the arch and foot bones' to assume their normal positions. As the weight is placed on the foot the latter rides forward within theI shoe and with it the flap 13 and itsl insert." This is possible because of pocket of the flap 13 as lllustrated inFigures l and 2. rI'heffoot of the wearer is then inserted into the shoe and ibo the elastic connecting piece 12 which gives and enables the insert to find its proper location with respect to the foot of the wearer. `The flap having found its correct position, the pins 17 may be pressed into the innersole to fix the positionpof thedisc insert 18. If as the shoe is being'worn a change in the position v of the insert/is required, it is only necessary to lift the flapl to release the pins 17 which may be engaged farther forward or rearward of the innersole-10. As previously described present invention substantialily universal ad extreme cases may necessitatethe use of a relatively high insert in which case the disc insert 18 is removed from the pin land 011e or more washers 20 placed over the platel and the disc replaced thereover.

The peculiarities and requirements of indiin our p-riorpatent and it is not believed nec essary to again go into detail4 regarding these points, except to state that according to the justment of the insert is made possible to meet almost any condition arising from abnormal dis osition of the bones of the metatarsal arc With the lapse of c necessary owingito the forward shifting of the foot,suitab1e adjustment can be made to ward flap portion disposed under the arch of the foot, an extensible connecting piece be- I extend the forward flap due to the elastic character thereof and in such event-the pin or corresponding features provide the means for holding the flap in extended position.

What weclaiml and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. In an arch supporting memberl for a time if a correction be' vidual conditions have been. fully explained shoe, a heel portion secured to the shoe, a fortween the heel and forward portions, and means insertible in the forward v'portion to support the anterior metatarsal arch of the foot.

2. In combination, an arch supporting member for the innersole of 'a shoe `comprising a heel portion secured `to the shoe, a forward flapportion under the arch of the foot, an elastic connecting member between the heel and flap portions, said'flap having an'inte'rnal pocket and access thereto through an opening in one face, and a supporting member insertible into said pocket through the opening.

. 3. An arch supporting member, as claimed y in claim 2,'in which the insertible supporting ing member comprises a Hexible disc, and

means for fixing the position of the disc and flap with respect to the heel portion.

4; A11 arch supporting member, as claimed in claim 2, in which the insertible supporting member comprises a metal plate having oppositely projecting pins, one set of pins being arwith a'set of lpointed pins projecting from one face and a centrally located blunt pin projecting from vthe other face, and a flexible disc to be superimposed on the plate and having an opening to receive the blunt pin.

In testimony whereof th their signatures.

RALPH LIMARTEAU. I f GEORGE A. soHRoETER.

y have aflixed l 

